The Archdiocese of Turku is the oldest diocese in Finland. Medieval bishops of the Catholic Church were also de facto secular leaders of the country until the end of the 13th century.
After the Reformation in Scandinavia, Lutheran bishops became state officials. When Finland became a separate grand duchy, the then bishop of Turku was designated as an archbishop in 1817. Since 1868, the archbishops of Turku and Finland have been considered primates of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.
Bishop Henry
Henry, Bishop of Uppsala is often mentioned in contemporary sources as the first bishop of Finland. According to legends, the English-born Henry arrived in Finland with King Eric IX of Sweden during the First Swedish Crusade, later suffering martyrdom in the 1150s. His position as Bishop of Finland is, however, totally unhistorical, and not claimed even by legends.
Catholic bishops of Finland
See article Diocese of Finland.
Rodulff 1156?–1178? (first mentioned in the 15th century, uncertain) Fulco 1178?–1198? (first mentioned in the 15th century, uncertain) An unnamed Bishop of Finland is mentioned dead in 1209. Papal letters to unnamed Bishops of Finland have survived from 1221, 1229 and 1232. Thomas 1230s?–1245 Bero I 1248–1258
Catholic bishops of Turku (Åbo, Aboa) The position Bishop of Finland was renamed Bishop of Turku, first mentioned in 1259, in a move to harmonise the name of the dioceses with other Swedish sees.
Ragvald I, 1258–1266
Catillus, 1266–1286
Johannes I, 1286–1290
Magnus I, 1291–1308
Ragvald II, 1309–1321
Benedictus II Gregor (, ), 1321–1338
Hemming, 1338–1366
Henrik Hartmansson (), 1366–1367
Johannes II Petri (, ), 1367–1370
Johannes III Westfal, 1370–1384
Bero II Balk (), 1387–1412
Magnus II Tavast (), 1412–1450
Olaus Magni (, ), 1450–1460
Konrad Bitz, 1460–1489
Magnus III Nicolai (, ), 1489–1500
Laurentius Michaelis (), 1500–1506
Johannes IV Olavi (, ), 1507–1510
Arvid Kurki, 1511–1522
Ericus Svenonius, 1523–1527
Martti Skytte. 1528–1550
Lutheran Bishops of Turku
Mikael Agricola 1554–1557
Petrus Follingius 1558–1563
Paulus Juusten 1563–1575
Ericus Erici Sorolainen 1583–1625
Isaacus Rothovius 1627–1652
Eskillus Petraeus 1652–1657
Johannes Terserus 1658–1664
Johannes Gezelius the elder 1664–1690
Johannes Gezelius the younger 1690–1718
Herman Witte 1721–1728
Lars Tammelin 1728–1733
Jonas Fahlenius 1734–1746
Johan Browallius 1749–1755
Karl Fredrik Mennander 1757–1775
Jakob Haartman 1776–1788
Jakob Gadolin 1788–1802
Jakob Tengström 1803–1817
The title "Bishop of Turku" ceased to exist in 1817. Since 1998, the Archbishop of Turku and Finland has been assisted in the diocese by a Bishop of Turku.
Ilkka Kantola 1998–2005
Kari Mäkinen 2006–2010
Kaarlo Kalliala 2011–2021
Mari Leppänen 2021–
Archbishops of Turku and Finland
Bishop of Turku was elevated to archiepiscopal rank in 1817. The title of the see was changed to Archbishop of Turku and Finland.